Package construction and method



Aug. 24, 1965 J. R. CZERKIES ETAL 3,202,279

PACKAGE CONSTRUCTION AND METHOD Filed July 9, 1963 FIG.|.

INVENTORZ JOHN R. CZERKIES EDWIN C. PECK,

Maw

THEIR ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 33112379 PACKAGE CONTRUCTION AND METHOD John R.Czerkies, Rome, and Edwin C. Peek, New Hartford, N.Y., assignors toGeneral Electric Company, a corporation of New York Fiied July 9, 1963,Ser. No. 293,677 Elaims. (Ci. 2068(i) This invention relates to apackage construction, and

method of making the same, which is of a type often calledskin-packagingin which the parts to be packaged and a cardboard backing member arecovered by a protective transparent sheeting which adheres to thecardboard so as to seal the parts between the transparent sheeting andthe cardboard member. The transparent stretches over, or is shaped tofit over, the packaged parts.

Packages of this type are often diificult to open, because thetransparent sheeting is tough and is difiicult to tear in order toprovide an opening through which to remove the packaged parts.Furthermore, this tearing of the transparent sheeting often renders thepackage unsuitable for further use in storing the parts.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved packageconstruction and method of making the same.

Another object is to provide a package construction which. provides foreasy removal of the packaged parts.

A further object is to provide a package construction which is reusable.

Other objects will be apparent from the following disclosure and claims,and from the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a front side view of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 1 taken on the line 3-3thereof,

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the underside of the package shown inFIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 5 is similar to FIGURE 4 except that it shows how parts areremoved from the package.

The invention comprises, in its preferred embodiment, a cardboardbacking member provided with formed recesses on or in which the parts tobe packaged lie, and a protective sheeting which preferably istransparent, stretched over and around the parts and in adherent contactwith the cardboard backing member. One or more slits or slots areprovided through the cardboard backing member at the recessed portionsthereof so as to provide bendable flaps which, upon being bentbackwardly, provide access to the packaged parts. Preferably, though notnecessarily, the flaps of the recessed areas are in adherence with theprotective sheeting but are easily peelable apart therefrom during theaforesaid opening of the flaps for removal of the parts.

Now referring to the drawing, a substantially flat cardboard backingmember 11 is provided with depressed areas or recesses 12 at areas Wherethe packaged parts are to be located. These recessed areas may becircular in shape, or square or rectangular or may be given othershapes, as desired, the packaged parts 13 are positioned on or in therecesses, as shown. One or more recesses 12 may be provided on acardboard backing member 11, and one or more parts 13 may be located ateach recess. By way of example, various parts 13 are shown in thedrawing, such as a coil of wire, screws, brackets, rivets, electricalparts, hardware, etc.; however, the parts to be packaged by thisinvention are not limited to the particular parts given by way ofexample.

The backing member 11 and parts 13 are covered over by a protectivetransparent sheeting 14 which adheres to various areas of the cardboardbacking member 11 in order to provide a protective housing for the parts13.

sheeting- The sheeting 14 may be form-fitted and then adhered to thecardboard member 11, or, alternatively,suitable sheeting of plasticmaterial may be laid over the cardboard member 11, and then vacuumapplied to the underside of the member 11, whereupon the sheeting 14 issucked down against the cardboard and in so'doing assumes aformfittingshape over and around the various parts 13. Heat may be used tofacilitate the shaping of the sheeting. The adhesion of the sheeting 14to the backing member ll may' be accomplished in any suitable manner,"such as by applying an adhesive material to either or. both of themembers 11 and 14, or by the use of heat, or .by using material for themembers 11 and/ch14 which is inher ently of adhesive nature for thepurpose of securing these members togetherat their areas of contact. Tofacilitate the aforesaid vacuum-forming ofthe' sheeting member 14 overthe cardboard backing member 11 and parts 13, suitable openings may beprovided through the member 11 such as a pattern of small perforations.

One or more slots or slits 16 are provided through the member 11 at therecesses 12, to provide e'asyadcess to the parts 13.when opening thepackage; To open the pack age, instead of having to rip apart the toughsheeting 14, according to the present invention the parts are removedthrough the cardboard backing member 11, by lifting part of thecardboard away from the sheeting member 14, to provide an openingthrough which the parts 13 may be removed. Preferably, the slots16 arearranged as shown, to provide a plurality of tabsof generally triangularshape, the apex of each tab being at the center region of the re cessand the base of each tab being at the edge of the recess. Bending thesetabs backwardly of the package is easily accomplished by inserting afingernail under the apex of the various tabs and pulling thembackwardly, thereupon exposing the packaged parts for easy removal fromthe package. Preferably, the cover member 14 is in adherence with thesetab portions of the backing member 11, so that the package securelycontains the parts 13. However, the tabs are easily peeled back from thesheeting 14 for removal of the parts. In FIGURE 5, two of theseaforesaid tabs, numbered 17 and 18, are shown in open position.

The slots 16 can provide, if desired, the additional function of beingopenings through the backing member 11 through which a vacuum mayreadily draw the sheeting 14 into place in a vacuum-forming method ofconstruction.

The recesses 12 not only provide an attractive appearance anddistinctively provide neatly arranged areas for the various packagedparts, but they also keep the parts 13 in place during the aforesaidvacuum-forming of the covering sheeting 14 onto the member 11, therebyeliminating the need for any jigs or fixtures which otherwise mighttemporarily be needed for holding the parts in place on the cardboardbacking during the vacuum-drawing process or pulling the sheeting 14down against the member 11.

While the backing member 11 preferably is of card board, and thesheeting 14 preferably is of transparent plastic material, othersuitable equivalent materials may be used if so desired.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, various other embodiments and modifications thereof willbecome apparent to those skilled in the art, and will fall within thescope of the present invention as defined in the following claims.

What we claim is:

1. A package assembly comprising a backing member provided with at leastone depressed recess area, at least one packaged part carried on saidarea, and a sheeting member positioned over said part and inadherentcontact with said backing member, said backing member being PatentedAug. 24-, 1965;

the entirety of said recess area and being adapted to be pulled awayfrom said sheeting member without tearing either of said members tofacilitate removal of said part through said backing member.

2. A package assembly comprising a backing member provided with at leastone depressed recess area, at least one packaged part carried on saidarea, and a sheeting member positioned over said part and in adherentcontact with said backing member, said backing member being providedwith a plurality of slots therethrough defining a plurality of generallytriangular tabs sequentially mutually adjacent one another and occupyingsubstantially the entire space in said recess area, each of said tabshaving an apex at a common point near the center of the recess area andhaving a base at the edge of the recess area, whereby the tabs can bepeeled from said sheeting member without tear-ing either of said membersto facilitate removal of said part through said backing member.

3. A backing member for a package assembly, comprising an area on whicha packaged part is to be located, said member having a plurality ofslots therethrough defining a plurality of tabs in said member at saidarea, said tabs extending mutually inwardly in said area and terminatingadjacent to one another and occupying substantially the entirety of saidarea, said tabs being adapted to be pulled away from alignment with saidbacking member without tearing the backing member in order to permitremoval of said part from said package assembly.

4. A backing member for a package assembly, comprising an area on whicha packaged part is to be located,

and a depressed recess at said area for confining said part, 3

said member being provided with a plurality of slots therethroughdefining a plurality of tabs in said recess, said tabs extendingmutually inwardly in said recess and terminating adjacent to oneanother, said tabs occupying substantially the entirety of said recessand being adapted to be pulled away from alignment with said backingmember Without tearing the backing member in order to permit removal ofsaid part from said package assembly.

' 5. A package assembly comprising a backing member, a packaged partcarried by said member, and a sheeting member positioned over said partand in adherent contact with said backing member, said backing memberbeing provided with a plurality of slots therethrough defining aplurality of generally triangular tabs seqEritially mutually adjacentone another and occupying substantially the entire area at the vicinityof said packaged part, each of said tabs having an apex at a commonpoint within said area at the vicinity of the packaged part, said tabsbeing adapted to be pulled away from said sheeting member Withouttearing either of said members to facilitate removal of said partthrough said backing member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Meagher 20663.5

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

2. A PACKAGE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A BACKING MEMBER PROVIDED WITH AT LEASTONE DEPRESSED RECESS AREA, AT LEAST ONE PACKAGED PART CARRIED ON SAIDAREA, AND A SHEETING MEMBER POSITIONED OVER SAID PART AND IN ADHERENTCONTACT WITH SAID BACKING MEMBER, SAID BACKING MEMBER BEING PROVIDEDWITH A PLURALITY OF SLOTS THERETHROUGH DEFINING A PLURALITY OF GENERALLYTRIANGULAR TABS SEQUENTIALLY MUTUALLY ADJACENT ONE ANOTHER AND OCCUPYINGSUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE SPACE IN SAID RECESS AREA, EACH OF SAID TABSHAVING AN APEX AT A COMMON POINT NEAR THE CENTER OF THE RECESS AREA ANDHAVING A BASE AT THE EDGE OF THE RECESS AREA, WHEREWBY THE TABS CAN BEPEELED FROM SAID SHEETING MEMBER WITHOUT TEARING EITHER OF SAID MEMBERSTO FACILITATE REMOVAL OF SAID PART THROUGH SAID BACKING MEMBER.